An apple a dayLocal residents made their way through the "An Apple A Day ... Staying Healthy After 55" health fair presented by Johnson Regional Medical Center, Senior Care and Clarksville Parks and Recreation Thursday. Some of the booths present offered free blood draws, health screenings, blood pressure checks and resources for seniors.

Cemetery board set to discuss fee changesThe Oakland Cemetery Commission tabled action on a proposal from Alderman Eric Westcott that would reduce the loss of funds to the state and generate more money to cover costs. Westcott explained the current cost of a plot without fees at Oakland is $750, and 20 percent of that goes to the state. Multiply that times the number of plots available for sale, about 250, and the cemetery loses $41,250 to the state each year. The alderman suggested ...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Commissioners approve 2018 budgetThe Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission went over and eventually approved its proposed revenues and expenditures for 2018 during its regular meeting Thursday at City Hall. Proposed revenue for 2018 was set at $370,000. Executive Director Christie Graham said revenue for last year was estimated at $350,000. She anticipated revenue to finish over $400,000 depending on what happens through September, October, November and December. ...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Church Happenings ( )Homecoming revival Booger Hollow Tabernacle will host a homecoming revival at 7 p.m. today and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Elain Allred will minister today, and there will be a outdoor concert and hobo stew on Saturday. Chili Dinner Pleasant Grove Community Church will host a benefit chili dinner at 6 p.m. on Saturday for Brother Jerry and Sister Mary Jones. The dinner will be $5 a plate. For more information, call Brother Bill Hampton at 479-692-1...

Facebook to release Russia adsNEW YORK -- Facebook is slowly acknowledging the outsized -- if unintended -- role it played in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Bowing to pressure from lawmakers and the public, the company said it will provide the contents of 3,000 ads bought by a Russian agency to congressional investigators, while also pledging to make political advertising on its platform more "transparent." "I don't want anyone to use our tools to undermine democrac...

Trix to bring back cereal with artificial coloringNEW YORK -- Trix is back to its old tricks: The colorful cereal will once again be made with artificial dyes and flavors, nearly two years after they were banished from the cereal. Food maker General Mills said Thursday that Classic Trix will return to supermarket shelves in October. But it will also continue to sell the version without artificial colors and flavors. "We heard from many Trix fans that they missed the bright vibrant colors and ...

Lawmaker reportedly spent $51K on psychicAUSTIN, Texas -- A Texas lawmaker apparently spent more than $51,000 of her own money on an online psychic, showed up for work at the Capitol impaired by medication and hid a cellphone from investigators, prosecutors allege in a court filing this week. Rep. Dawnna Dukes is due to face misdemeanor corruption charges at an Oct. 16 trial. She is accused of giving a taxpayer-funded raise to a legislative aide to cover gas money for shuttling her d...

Man critically wounded in shooting by Arkansas law officersLITTLE ROCK — Police say a man was critically wounded when he was shot by police officers in central Arkansas. Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner says the man was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive after being shot early Thursday in southwest Little Rock. Buckner says officers investigating a reported rape and stabbing were told one suspect was hiding behind a nearby church. Buckner says officers went to the area and called fo...

Williams Baptist College to alter name starting fall 2018WALNUT RIDGE — A private, four-year school in northeastern Arkansas has changed its name to include the term "university" rather than "college." Williams Baptist College President Tom Jones announced Wednesday that the school officially will be called Williams Baptist University starting in fall 2018. Jones says the name change will help dispel misconceptions that the school is a junior college. The school was founded as Southern Baptist Colle...

Arkansas court OKs new sentence hearings for juvenile lifersLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for judges in the state's largest county to hold resentencing hearings for seven inmates who received life terms as juveniles, which could set a course for how other state courts handle cases involving similar prisoners. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that juvenile offenders cannot be sentenced to life terms without at least a chance at parole. As a remedy, Arkansas legisla...

Obituary: Billy CockrellBilly Daniel Cockrell, age 92, of Russellville died on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, at Brookdale Senior Living Solutions. He was born on June 16, 1925, in Memphis, Tenn., to Willie D. and Lucille Tisdale Cockrell. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his two sisters, Helen Patterson and Mary Povoalion. All services are private with arrangements by Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville. The obituary and online guestbook are ...

Clarksville School Board OKs personnel changesCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville School Board approved multiple personnel changes, the 2017-18 statement of assurances and the fiscal year 2018 budget as presented during its regular meeting Monday. The board accepted the resignation of Tamara Baumgartner, food service employee at the junior high school and employed Emily Heathcock, paraprofessional at the junior high school. The board also approved contract changes for Andrew Dreyer, an addition...

Go Native, Grow NativeA Go Native, Grow Native event was held at the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests office in Russellville on Thursday. The purpose of the event was to highlight the importance of attempting to save pollinators. Multiple booths with handout information and free native seeds were set up on the front lawn of the office including the Pope County Master Gardeners, Pope County Conservation District, Arkansas Archeological Survey, Revitalizing Ozark-O...

Council to discuss dispensary resolutionThe Russellville City Council will consider a resolution for a special use permit to operate a medical marijuana dispensary during its regular meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall. A petition was filed by David and Elizabeth Johnson that requested a special use permit to operate a medical marijuana dispensary for property at 23 Interstate Avenue. Residents spoke for and against the business during the August meeting of the Russellville Planning Comm...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Community people: Jaden Brown, Libby May, Braden Tanner and Michelle Talley.THE COURIER / Submitted The Atkins School District recently announced the Atkins Middle School September students of the month. Pictured are Jaden Brown (from left), fifth grade, Libby May, sixth grade, Braden Tanner, seventh grade and Michelle Talley, eighth grade. Students of the month are nominated by teachers based on academic performance, classroom citizenship, community outreach through volunteerism, sports and the arts.

Free 'Go Native, Grow Native' event todayPollinators are decreasing in number according to scientists. To highlight the importance of this issue, the U.S. Forest Service will host a free "Go Native, Grow Native" event for the public beginning at 3:30 p.m. today at the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests office at 605 W. Main Street in Russellville. A wide variety of partner organizations and community groups will provide information on various ways the public can improve their outdoor...

Arkansas: Adverse ruling may halt access to execution drugsLITTLE ROCK— Government lawyers want Arkansas' highest court to reverse a ruling that requires prison officials to reveal more information about their execution drugs, saying further disclosure would make it impossible for the state to acquire lethal injection drugs. Attorneys for the state filed a brief Wednesday saying it shouldn't have to release package inserts and labels for lethal injection drugs, as a judge had ordered last spring. That...

Panel recommends rules oversight for Arkansas Game and FishLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas lawmakers are recommending the state's Game and Fish Commission be required to seek the state Legislative Council's review and approval of proposed commission rules. Bureau of Legislative Research Director Marty Garrity tells the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette the council will consider the recommendation from its executive subcommittee at an Oct. 20 meeting. Garrity says the council changed its rules in May to require the com...